NGO/UN Job Vacancy

Mercy Corps has been operational in the Central African Republic (CAR) since September 2007. With its head office in the capital, Bangui, and field offices in Bouar and Bambari, Mercy Corps works to integrate short-term humanitarian assistance with programs to strengthen community resilience and support market-led economic development, with a mainstreaming approach to governance and gender. Mercy Corps takes a sustainable approach to its programming, seeking to change behaviors and create institutions to foster long-term development in the sectors of social cohesion and conflict mitigation; protection with a large component of Gender-Based Violence (GBV); livelihoods, and water/sanitation. Funding comes from a range of donors including USAID, the European Commission, OFDA, the United Nations and private donations. By addressing a number of overlapping and associated needs within a wide range of activities, Mercy Corps in CAR takes an integrated approach to ensure the greatest possible impact.

The BOURNE program will holistically respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of IDPs, returnees and the most vulnerable households in host communities in Bambari and its surroundings. Since 2016, an upsurge in violence due to armed group's confrontation within and outside Bambari has increased the vulnerability of the local population compounded by increasing insecurity. While officially Bambari has been declared a city without armed groups, in reality the city center and its surroundings are unsafe for the population as they are subject to clashes between armed groups on most axes. Continued displacement along with violence and insecurity is preventing households from meeting basic needs and recovering their livelihoods. Mercy Corps will build upon the foundation of its current programming in Bambari implementing early economic recovery initiatives and shelter provision through a 12 month multi-sector intervention

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The BOURNE Program Manager will be responsible for managing the implementation of the program. S/he will manage a team of 12 local staff to implement a program of quality in accordance to Mercy Corps' standards of quality and in the framework of the donor's regulation.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Project Management

Responsible for overall leadership and strategic vision with respect to coordination and management of the Mercy Corps' BOURNE project. Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities and partners and aligned with Mercy Corps' principles, values and strategic plan.

Coordinate with the teams, the Head of Office in Bambari, other program managers, Program Director and M&E team on a regular basis to ensure the successful implementation of the project activities, while respecting the Mercy Corps' and the donors' guidelines and procedures.

Ensure a detailed Work Plan is developed and updated regularly, with the participation of the project team and project stakeholders.

Ensure very strong communication and coordination within the team and with other relevant departments.

Ensure an effective end-of-program transition.

Team Management

Manage Mercy Corps' BOURNE project team and directly supervise and support a team composed of 5 staff members (facilitators and officers). Some are already part of the team, some others will have to be recruited, and the team might have to be reorganized as per the needs and the Program Manager's vision.

Create a work atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development of excellent personnel.

Implement and ensure all project staff effectively use the performance planning and management system, establish performance expectations and regularly provide constructive feedback to program staff.

Promote accountability by conducting staff performance reviews with direct supervisees. Contribute to overall Mercy Corps CAR's team-building efforts and help ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision making processes.

Financial Management

Budget holder responsibility for the project and its implementation

In charge of keeping the expenditures on track to avoid overspends or underspends

Detailed expenditures forecast for the duration of the project and updated on a regular basis

Monitoring and validation of project expenditures

Regular analysis of budget vs actuals

Input for new budgets developments

M&E and Reporting

Ensure the project targets and objectives are reached and lead efforts to manage/implement an effective Monitoring Plan, including conducting baseline, midterm and endline surveys in coordination with the M&E manager and the Director of Programs.

Ensure that the M&E focal point focuses on collecting timely and quality data and generates practical information that can be used for ongoing project decision-making while also capturing results at the impact level.

Ensure effective coordination and the sharing of quality and timely M&E data with the M&E team.

Assist with documentation and dissemination of institutional knowledge: case studies, lessons learned, and good practices in social innovation and economic development.

Coordination and Representation

Participate to coordination meetings according to needs.

Meet with other humanitarian response stakeholders and partner organizations in Bambari.

Organizational Learning:

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries:

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

WORKS CLOSELY WITH: Mercy Corps CAR program and operational team (particularly, the Head of Base in Bambari, the other Program Managers in Bambari, HQ Technical Support Units for Economic Development and Monitoring and Evaluation.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

BA/S or equivalent in economic development, business administration, international development, or relevant field.

At least 3 years of relief and international development experience in managing people and projects/programs.

Significant experience managing programs in technical areas, including livelihoods and shelter programs. A general understanding of mainstream protection aspects.

Professional experience in CAR, as well as an existing professional network in CAR would be appreciated.

Understanding of participatory methodologies for project design, implementation and evaluation.

Excellent written and verbal English and French skills required. Sango language skills are an advantage.

Outstanding interpersonal, partnership development and relationship management skills. Effective verbal and written communication, both internally and with external stakeholders; multi-tasking, organizational and prioritization skills.

High level of proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Proven ability to follow procedures, meet team objectives and work independently and cooperatively with team members (including managing remote communications with colleagues in HQ) and diverse groups of people.

Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally represent the organization and negotiate and defend Mercy Corps' and the Consortium's interests with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations and other groups.

Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.

Demonstrated commitment to develop, acquire, document and apply best practices in related fields, and apply solutions to obstacles.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful Program Manager will be a social entrepreneur—a detail-oriented, but adaptable self-starter with the ability to build a high performance team and implement a complex project that delivers outstanding results. Creativity and entrepreneurial spirit will be vital in leading and supporting new initiatives, capitalizing on opportunities, and growing and sustaining programs. The Program Manager should be an exceptional communicator, with the ability to develop rapport with a diverse range of program participants, partners, local stakeholders and government officials, as well as produce clear, concise, and compelling communications. In addition, the ideal candidate will, be dedicated to Mercy Corps' mission of helping to build more secure, productive, and just communities.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

This PM will be based in Bambari and will travel to Bangui when needed. This is an unaccompanied post and eligible for Hardship and R&R (one week every 10 weeks). The Central African Republic is a nation of 4.6 million people, ranked as one of the poorest nations in the world, with an average life expectancy of only 49 years. Hospitals and access to medicines is very limited. Malaria is prevalent and it is estimated that 7-8% of the population may be HIV positive. Bambari is a regional town of the Ouaka Prefecture of about 41,000 inhabitants and is located in the east of the country and is divided north-south by the Ouaka River. The city is relatively calm and safe, the population is hopeful for the future and economic and social activities are resuming. However, criminality, mainly petty theft and robberies, constitutes the main cause of insecurity, and travel in some of the surrounding areas can be dangerous due to armed road bandits.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues